The only thing more infuriating than this story is the fact that if you don't subscribe to Mother Jones magazine, you're probably unaware of it:

A law under consideration in South Dakota would expand the definition of "justifiable homicide" to include killings that are intended to prevent harm to a fetus—a move that could make it legal to kill doctors who perform abortions. The Republican-backed legislation, House Bill 1171, has passed out of committee on a nine-to-three party-line vote, and is expected to face a floor vote in the state's GOP-dominated House of Representatives soon.

I will stop here for a second and point out the words "party line vote" and hope you might keep them in mind the next time you think labels on the ballot don't matter.

Now, where was I?

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Phil Jensen, a committed foe of abortion rights, alters the state's legal definition of justifiable homicide by adding language stating that a homicide is permissible if committed by a person "while resisting an attempt to harm" that person's unborn child or the unborn child of that person's spouse, partner, parent, or child. If the bill passes, it could in theory allow a woman's father, mother, son, daughter, or husband to kill anyone who tried to provide that woman an abortion—even if she wanted one.

"This simply is to bring consistency to South Dakota statute as it relates to justifiable homicide," said Jensen in an interview, repeating an argument he made in the committee hearing on the bill last week. "If you look at the code, these codes are dealing with illegal acts. Now, abortion is a legal act. So this has got nothing to do with abortion."

Of course not. Absolutely nothing to do with abortion at all.

the Family Heritage Alliance, Concerned Women for America, the South Dakota branch of Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, and a political action committee called Family Matters in South Dakota—all testified in favor of the amended version of the law.

I bet the reason so many virulently anti-abortion groups came out in favor of this bill is because it has nothing to do with abortion. I hate it when they don't even respect you enough to put the effort into coming up with bullshit that is even the slightest bit plausible.

"Drugmonkey I'm ahead of you on this one." Some of you might be saying. "I know my local TV news cannot be counted on for anything other than 20 minutes of weather and stories about cats who play the piano. So I count on print media to stay informed, and I know that South Dakota bill has been shelved. That was really a close call."

Just when abortion rights supporters thought they had beaten a controversial bill they believe would legalize the killing of abortion providers, it has cropped up again—this time in a more expansive form that has drawn the concern of law enforcement officials.

Last week, South Dakota's legislature shelved a bill, introduced by Republican state Rep. Phil Jensen, which would have allowed the use of the "justifiable homicide" defense for killings intended to prevent harm to a fetus. Now a nearly identical bill is being considered in neighboring Nebraska, where on Wednesday the state legislature held a hearing on the measure.

Beat them down once and they come back in a more expansive form.

The legislation, LB 232, was introduced by state Sen. Mark Christensen, a devout Christian and die-hard abortion foe who is opposed to the prodedure even in the case of rape.

Of course this has nothing to do with abortion at all.

Unlike its South Dakota counterpart, which would have allowed only a pregnant woman, her husband, her parents, or her children to commit "justifiable homicide" in defense of her fetus, the Nebraska bill would apply to any third party.

Anyone. Take a look at the next 10 people to wander up to your pharmacy counter and imagine any of them with a license to kill.

"Wow that really sucks for those doctors." some of you are saying. "I'd really hate to be in their shoes." Which will make me a little sad. Because I don't want to do this, but I'm gonna have to give you a reality check. I'll try to do it gently. I'll need you to fire up your thought process for this.

Ready?

Now, we're already in a world where pharmacy's leading trade magazine is printing the propaganda of the right, namely that the scientific consensus on when pregnancy begins is not when an embryo implants into the uterus, when in fact that is the overwhelming scientific consensus. So, close your eyes and imagine a world 10....15....20 years from now, when a bill like LB 232 has been passed somewhere and a razor sharp lawyer has just won an acquittal of someone who slaughtered an abortion provider "to save the fetus"

Now imagine those 10 people at your pharmacy counter again. Convinced that pregnancy begins at the moment of fertilization and not at the moment of implantation. And asking if you sell the Plan B.

And with a license to kill. You.

Imagine that for awhile, and I have a feeling your motivation to fight these fuckers may just get a little boost.